Sixth Sunday of Pascha: Sunday of the Blind Man
Cyril, archbishop of Alexandria; Pelagia and the three Virgin-martyrs of Chios
Christ is Risen, Truly He is Risen!
Thought for Today: “Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience. For thus he who ask receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
– St John Climacus
The Eisodikon (Entrance Hymn) of Pascha
In the gathering places bless ye God the Lord, from the springs of Israel. Save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Resurrectional Apolytikion –Tone 8
Let us believers praise and worship the Word; coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation. For, He took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh to suffer death; and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.
The Kontakion of Pascha –Tone 8
Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women, Rejoice, and giving peace unto Thine Apostles, O Thou Who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.
EPISTLE and GOSPEL READINGS
The Epistle
Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us and preserve us. Save me, O Lord, for the godly man is no more.
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (16:16-34)
In those days, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit: “I charge you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said: “These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them, and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one’s fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice: “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said: “Men, what must I do to be saved?” And they said: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.
The Gospel
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (9:1-38)
At that time, when Jesus was passing, he saw a man blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,” which means “Sent.” So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he;” others said, “No, but he is like him.” He said, “I am the man.” They said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, “He is of age, ask him.” So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become His disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who speaks to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.
Receiving the Eucharist:We invite you to receive the Holy Eucharist if you are an Orthodox Christian who has prepared yourself through fasting, prayer, and recent confession. If you are not Orthodox, or are Orthodox but have not prepared, we invite you to receive a piece of the blessed bread in the wooden bowls held by the altar servers at the front of the church.
THIS WEEK
Today, Sunday: Myrrh Bearers will meet following Divine Liturgy.
Monday, June 10: 3rd Hour Prayers at 9:00 am.
Tuesday, June 11: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am.
Wednesday, June 12: 6th Hour Prayers at 12:00 noon; Festal Vesperal Liturgy at 6:00 pm; Holy Ascension. (Orthodoxy 101 to follow with meal.)
Thursday, June 13: No Service.
Friday, June 14: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am.
Saturday, June 15: Bible Study at the Webb’s home, 9:00 am; Great Vespers at 5:00 pm, Jr. and Teen SOYO at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, June 16: Matins at 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am, Father’s Day.
FAMILY NEWS
Names Day Celebration: Howard Webb, St. Columba Enlightener of Scotland (9th).
Birthday Celebration: Mary Ann Griggs (13th).
Memory Eternal: Priest Andrew; Priest Serguis, Lexi, Alice Marie Piercefield.
Prayer List: Marvin; Nectaria (Released from ICU); Taylor and infant Houston(congenital heart defect);Fr. James Bernstein; Rebecca with child;Shu-Mei,Charlie;Shirley; Jim;Jan; Don and Dee; those suffering the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East; Peace talks; our nation and all nations’ leaders; schools: children, youth and personnel across the nation; Mary Ann; Emma; Bob & Bonnie Thelen; Megan (lymphoma); Josiah; Fr. Athanasius; Jack; Christopher; Fr. Jerome; Fr. Basil; Catherine; Wadia; Jayci; Patricia; Kitsa; Apthrodite; Kim; Kristy; Vicki;Kenzie; Dusty; Cari; Betsy; Josh; Allison; Andrew; Isaac; Leanne; Heather; Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Michael, Olga, Eileen, Soren, Kathy; Lexi, Ross, Vivian; Theo; Jeremy; Dn. Lawrence, Marcia; Elias; Waded; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer; Christy; Megan; John; Stanley; Macrina; Anne; Allen; Linda; Mary Barger; Allison and children; Kip; Erica with child, Stephanie with child, Mary with child, Meaghan with child, Alexis with child.
“The Gathering” is a men’s fellowship for men 18 years and up. Striving to build a brotherhood of Christian men that seek fellowship and adventure while cultivating meaningful relationships that will last. Through brotherhood and fellowship The Gathering will use their talents and gifts to forge and sharpen men young and old.
Planning activities like a monthly gathering to provide a time of fellowship where men can connect and learn from and challenge one another. Perhaps an annual visit to a monastery for hands-on life experience through participation in the life of the monastery and service projects.
The Gathering will meet on Tuesday 18 June at 6PM in the St. George Pavilion.
If you are not on the Email list for The Gathering, Please contact
V/r, Vasily <><
Glen Carter
661-477-1791
Coffee Hour Host: Elizabeth Carter with Parishioners C-G.
Next Week Host: Nina Rogers with Parishioners H-R.
Donations to the church are being made online at www.allsaintsbloomington.org and by U.S mail. Many thanks to all who continue supporting All Saints.